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Tuesday, 3 April 2012

A to Z 1950s/60s Nostalgia: C

Now for a collection of Cs

C Smell:Camphor – In the winter there was always someone at school
who had been lathered with the menthol vapour rub. What a whiff!

C Memories:Chimney Sweep – He arrived on a bike with his long wooden
box. Kneeling on a layer of old sheets he assembled his brush. My excitement
grew as long handle after long handle was screwed together and all the time it
was disappearing further up the chimney until... “Run out and see if you can see
it!” I didn’t need telling twice and there it was, a round black brush waving
from the chimney pot.

Cars – I’ve blogged about cars before but as this is a marathon
A to Z I don’t feel guilty repeating myself so here are 3 car memories...

1. Instead of flashing light indicators, cars had
little orange arms that popped up
from the side of the car and when they got jammed you had to bash the door to
knock them back in again.2. There were no car radios. I used to hold my tranny
(transistor radio) up to my ear and shift it around every time Dad turned a
corner.3. Every car had a crank handle in
case it wouldn’t start with the key and it often wouldn’t, especially early in
the morning. If the handle didn’t work we had to push and run to catch the car up before Dad chugged off
without us. [You can read the original post here.]

Carnaby Street – I still get a tingle of excitement when I hear that
name. It reminds me of psychedelic patterns, tiny skirts, bells, afghan coats
and it was THE place to shop in London.

C Programmes:

On TV:Criss Cross Quiz

Fanny Craddock, the original TV chef

Davy Crocket

Crackerjack [every time they said Crackerjack the audience
had to scream the word back so... “CRACKERJAAAACK!!!!”]

Eamonn Andrews and the Crackerjack game Double or Drop

On Radio:

Children’s Favourites with Uncle Mac [more about that in U for Uncle!]

A great C post for the challenge! Every time I see a photo of a chimney sweep I remember the musical number in the film Mary Poppins when the sweeps danced with their broom sweeps to "Step in Time." :) I'll be swinging that all day..."over the rooftops step in time..."

This is so funny! I love the walk down memory lane and I remember the little orange arms coming out of cars for indicators LOL. And Fanny Craddock's painted on eyebrows...AND Crackerjack. (Should've added Blue Peter to yesterday's - remember John Noakes saying, "Down Shep!"). Your posts cheer me up enormously.

Summertime Blues.... Really? You can tell where my mind is. It's such a great tune to jump around with and get the heart rate going in the morning. I still use it for my body wake-up call. :) Happy C-day.

I remember a lot of the names. I was going to say that I remembered the T.V. show Davy Crockett, but I it was Daniel Boone that I remember. I loved the Cracker Jacks commercials. Ocassionaly, I got to eat Cracker Jacks.(and get the free prize!)

How fun was that...I do remember the smell of camphor-I also remember that it wasn't very pleasant! What C fun! I enjoyed bringing back the memory of the singers...Nat King Cole; favorite was Ramblin' Rose....

I really relate to old cars, though I've never heard of one like this one that you describe. How perfectly delightful this is, as are all of the C's that you highlight. And thanks for following my Golden Movies. You might not like Chinatown. It's pretty dark, but I like such movies, especially when they're done as well as this one.Ann Best, Author of In the Mirror & Other Memoirs

Now you got me! I'm desperately trying to remember if cars had those little red arms that popped out to signal a turn. I can see them, so I must have seen them. I am glad you included Ray Charles in your list. I remembered many of the people you listed, but he's a favorite.

Hi Ros .. oh this is better I did something funny with the other comment box .. and I couldn't see the blog ..

I don't remember any of those tv programmes - most of the rest - yes the chimney sweep then and now - my uncle had one out! Moth balls or camphor .. Churchill and his funeral - very clearly ... Cassius Clay too and Julie Christie, and Peter Cook .. now cars too ..

Rosalind Adam

I am a writer, committed worrier and nostalgia obsessive with a fascination for all things historical. I am enjoying my second year of an MA in Creative Writing at Leicester University and don't know how I'll manage without it. Please scroll down to see my books...

The Children's Book of Richard III

This is my latest book, illustrated by Alice Povey. Click on the picture to buy a copy or go to Amazon.

Children's History of Leicester

A Children's History of Leicester published by Hometown World Publishers, 2011

Bathtime Rap

Bathtime Rap is a fun children's picture book published by Franklin Watts, 2008.

Building a Community

A history of the Leicester Progressive Jewish Congregation

Heritage Funded Projects

I was lead facilitator on the following two Heritage Lottery funded projects:

Leicester Jewish Voices

In 2009 I coordinated a memories project looking at the Leicester Jewish Community during the 1950s and 60s. You can see the website by clicking on the picture.

Local Cemetery Project

I coordinated the cataloguing of the Jewish section of Leicester Gilroes to provide a genealogical search facility. Subsequent research of a number of the headstones enabled us to record 'The Lives Behind the Stones'. 2014/15